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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25938442">Disclosure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyoftheshadow/pseuds/lilyoftheshadow'>lilyoftheshadow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Things Told In Secret [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Homecoming, Politics, Reconciliation, Recovery, Sakura wants justice, Sasuke and Itachi lose their purpose, Tsunade has something up her sleeve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:01:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25938442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyoftheshadow/pseuds/lilyoftheshadow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wide black eyes found hers as she approached, and Sakura was certain he had never looked so young and vulnerable in his life.</p><p>"Save him, Sakura," he pleaded, before slumping to the ground in a dead faint.</p><p>[Complete, but pending re-write]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura &amp; Uchiha Itachi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Things Told In Secret [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Previously, in Divulgence: Sakura takes shelter with a stranger during a snowstorm in the mountains of Kumo, only to discover his identity is Itachi Uchiha. Drawn together by circumstances, Itachi feels compelled to share with her two secrets that he's carried for years, turning Sakura's world upsidedown.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The panicked cry rang through the hospital. Sakura had no idea how she heard it all the way in the bowels of the administrative wing, but she nevertheless bolted from her office to the lobby. She had never in her life heard </span><em><span>that</span></em><span> voice use </span><em><span>that</span></em><span> tone, let alone crying </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nearly skid sideways into the lobby, only to find Sasuke, bloodied and beaten and collapsed on one knee, with an equally beaten body over his shoulders and a circle of nurses fluttering around them. They scattered like a flock of birds when she stormed down the hall at barely less than a run.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wide black eyes found hers as she approached, and Sakura was certain he had never looked so young and vulnerable in his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Save him, Sakura," he pleaded, before slumping to the ground in a dead faint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura darted forward, catching both of them with a grunt. A quick assessment of Sasuke revealed heavy damage, but not as much as the man over his shoulder, who was bleeding from his mouth, nose, and eyes, and breathing so shallowly that Sakura was certain for a moment that he wasn't at all. The wet bubble of his gasp at being dropped was the only giveaway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You!" She pointed to a nurse who stood, wringing her hands. "Prep theater B for emergency surgery. I need a surgical team, and at least one other Mystical Palm." The nurse nodded and darted off down the hall. Sakura rounded on another anxious nurse. "You—Find Tsunade. </span><em><span>Now</span></em><span>. You! Get Yamanaka and a trauma team," Sakura continued barking orders, and the nurses hurried to comply. She turned back to the second man and took a deep breath, pressing her palm to his chest to survey the extent of the damage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His lungs were nearly completely full of blood. She grimaced, pushing down the wave of horror and despair. He was closer to death's door than she had ever seen anyone come back from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Sasuke had begged, and the gods knew she couldn't refuse him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gurneys!" Sakura hissed at the remaining nurses hovering around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ino appeared just then, snapping on gloves as she approached, a determined glint in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Someone said we had an assortment of traitors to treat," she said lightly, although Sakura noticed her gaze lingering on Sasuke for a long moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sasuke has typical, albeit heavy, battle trauma. Take a team and get him patched up, then secure him until Tsunade can talk to him," Sakura said. Ino nodded, her hands already glowing as she pressed one to his chest and the other to his forehead. Sakura prised Itachi's limp form off of Sasuke's shoulders as gently as possible, and helped Ino and another nurse roll Sasuke onto his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tanaka-chan, lift!" Sakura ordered a second nurse over to help them lift Sasuke onto the gurney. The instant he was settled, Ino was assessing Sasuke's condition as she started ordering the two nurses to direct the gurney into a room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura turned to Itachi, laying pale on the floor. Another nurse rolled the gurney next to her, low as possible, and Sakura lifted him onto it herself. As they ratcheted it up to full height, Sakura saw the nurse from earlier return down the hall at a jog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Haruno-sama, Theater B is prepped and the team you requested is scrubbing in now," she panted as soon as she was in earshot. Sakura motioned for her to take the gurney, and then vaulted onto it herself, straddling their patient as she started pushing chakra into his lungs. It would be over before they began if she couldn't clear them quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ducked as they flew through the doorway to the operating theater, and only moved her hands from his chest as they cut off his cloak and clothes, discarding them in a pile in the corner of the room, out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fucking hell, it's the Uchihas," Sakura spat as Tsunade kicked the doors open to spare her freshly washed hands. Her eyes flashed oddly as they alighted on the prone form awaiting rescue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Itachi?" She confirmed. Sakura nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to clear his lungs, but he's losing blood elsewhere, too, and there's an infection ravaging his lymph nodes," Sakura was quick to brief her on the situation. Tsunade nodded curtly and they got to work saving the Clan Killer's life.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The hopefully-awaited sequel to Divulgence is finally rolling!</p><p>Folks, I will admit I've struggled with this story quite a bit. Even this brief intro chapter has sat in my google drive for months now, being periodically revisited and re-edited since I posted Divulgence in the first place. <i>ThEsE uNcErTaIn TiMeS</i> have really been messing with my head and I give the hugest props and kudos and love to those who are managing to consistently update right now! Pandemic Brain is running me into the ground.</p><p>This is mostly written, and will be edited/posted about one chapter per week, brain willing. After Disclosure, there are three more 'books' in the series; Confession, Declaration, and Proclamation.</p><p>I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on this, and can't wait to share the rest!</p><p>Take care y'all,<br/>~Lily<br/>August 16, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"I pulled a triple for your stupid brother," Sakura grumbled as soon as Sasuke's eyes began to twitch like they wanted to open. His brow furrowed, then his eyes flew open wide and he shot up in bed. She had been sitting in a chair close by, with her head propped up on her hand, elbow on his mattress, so his move jostled her repose. She stood up with a sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Itachi!" He gasped, dizzy, his voice hoarse and cracking and filled with the same panic she heard the night before. "Sakura, he's—"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Fine," Sakura interrupted, pushing him as gently as possible back down onto the bed. Sasuke struggled, and she pursed her lips, feeding just enough chakra into her arms to immobilize him against the mattress. "He's fine. Asleep. You can see him later today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Danzo—"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"—has been detained by Tsunade until this is sorted out," Sakura interrupted again, surprising Sasuke into silence. He stared at her, eyes wide, looking young and vulnerable again, even more so without blood streaking his face. His eyes darted between hers, trying to see a lie or trick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How did you..?" He trailed off, not really sure which question he wanted to ask, confusion settling across his face, in the little wrinkle between his eyebrows and the downturned set of his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura sank back into her chair and leaned back. She crossed her arms, her lips thinning in a way that wasn't quite a frown as she studied his anxious expression. "You really need rest. I promise I’ll tell you everything, but later."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sasuke was about to protest when he really looked at Sakura, and was taken aback. Her hair was dull and greasy and slicked back from her face as though she had been running her hands through it repeatedly. There were some dark brown splotches and streaks, too, and he knew instinctively that they were Itachi’s blood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes were framed by some of the darkest circles he had ever seen on a human other than Gaara, and she was pale. She even looked a little dried out, like she had been drained of more than just chakra—which was also incredibly low, now that Sasuke was paying enough attention to notice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked like she had come straight from the operating room to sit with him, no breaks, not even a shower to clean up and refresh herself. She looked like shit, and Sasuke realized that he hadn’t seen her in such rough shape since the Chuunin exams. Even when they had met in battle before, dirty and bloody, she had never seemed so worn out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat, staring at her for a long time. He opened his mouth and closed it several times, trying to reassemble his thoughts from the whirlwind that had ripped them apart just a few hours before. Sakura held his gaze steadily, albeit tiredly. His expression finally settled on concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How long has it been since you last slept?” he blurted out. Sakura snorted, then glanced at the clock and pursed her lips, counting in her head. It was evident when she reached a number, because she grimaced slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Fifty-three hours," Sakura said after a deep sigh. Her head fell back and she slouched down a little more, as if she could sleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair. She probably could, as exhausted as she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Go sleep," he said. Sakura lifted her head and shook it with a negative hum.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Naruto is on his way back; Kakashi sent him a hawk. He'll be here in another hour or so and he's going to want a full report."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"At least rest until then," Sasuke pleaded quietly. “They have, like... a break room here, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, studying the genuine concern on his face as if she had never seen it before. In fairness, she didn’t think she had. She shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t leave you,” she said plainly. Sasuke started to get a little angry, his cheeks flushing and the steady beep of the heart monitor mirroring his rising frustration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you got over this stupid crush. Just leave me alone and take care of yourself!” he snapped. He was surprised when Sakura gave a very unladylike snort of laughter. Mirth gave her tired eyes just a bit more life as she shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You fucking idiot,” she said, to Sasuke’s shock. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t leave you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’m the only reason there isn’t ANBU stationed in every corner of your room. There is one outside the door, and two outside the window as it is. You were a missing nin for a while there, just like your brother. ...He has </span>
  <em>
    <span>six </span>
  </em>
  <span>guards on him, by the way,” she added thoughtfully. Sasuke’s eyes widened and darted to the two exits she mentioned. He didn’t sense anyone, but figured they would be lousy black ops shinobi if he could sense them. “It’s me, or a room full of ninja that you’ve mostly shat on for several years. At least my </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid crush</span>
  </em>
  <span> keeps me from smothering you with a pillow in your sleep,” she finished with a smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sasuke slumped back into the aforementioned pillow, feeling rightfully chastised. Sakura’s smirk softened into a small grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You rest. Naruto will be back soon, I’ll fill you both in, and he can stay with you while I go sleep for, like, a decade,” she gave a weary huff that almost passed for a laugh. Sasuke felt a smile pull at his lips, but the moment he was laying flat again, he was asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura sighed, leaning an elbow on his bed, and propped her head up again, refusing to close her own eyes for fear of drifting off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stared at Sasuke. He seemed healthy enough, injuries aside. He had to have been keeping himself in top form to fight Itachi. He looked good, but...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura snorted to herself. Stupid crush, indeed. She was long over it, of course. Looking at him now, she was just relieved. He was home. Naruto would be ecstatic, once he got over his fury at Sasuke's self-destruction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was more concerned about what exactly happened that prompted him to drag his brother home, more than half dead, begging her to save him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that she wouldn't have tried to anyway, she realized, after the incident some months ago in the mountains of Kumo when she accidentally healed an S-class criminal and then proceeded to insist on offering him further treatment for some reason, even before he fed her some sob story about being forced to massacre his family.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"We have to tell Tsunade-sama, she can do something about it! You could come home, explain it to Sasuke yourself, reconcile!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she had said. Sakura frowned at the pale, sleeping form of her teammate on the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It certainly sounded like Itachi had explained everything. Sasuke obviously wanted to keep his brother alive now. And, to top it all off, Tsunade had rather gleefully arrested Shimura Danzo and had him detained with her own hand-picked guard, informing Sakura that they would question Itachi as soon as he was awake, but offering no further explanation of her strangely ebullient mood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura studied the rise and fall of his chest as Sasuke slept, desperate to stay awake just a little while longer as the heart monitor almost lulled her to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A knock at the door startled her, and she was sitting, rubbing her eyes as it swung open to admit one of the older civilian nurses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Haruno-sama, Uzumaki-san was spotted just outside the gates. He will be here any minute," she said. Sakura smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you for the heads up, Shiro-san," she said, standing and stretching as the nurse bowed and closed the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Showtime</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Sakura mused, turning to shake Sasuke gently awake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Naruto’s here,” Sakura said softly, careful not to jostle his healing shoulder too much. Sasuke startled somewhat, eyes flying open, although he froze in place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Naruto?” he rasped, eyes darting around the room. Sakura held him down as he started to try to get up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s on his way, just a minute,” Sakura said softly. Sasuke continued to struggle to sit, growling at Sakura and trying to bat her hand away. Sakura relented with a sigh. “Don’t strain yourself too much,” she muttered as she helped him sit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They heard his hollering long before he reached the hospital, and Sakura peeked out the window to see Naruto bounding over rooftops, making a beeline for the hospital. Sakura sighed and opened the window, waving to get his attention. Naruto immediately altered his angle, and Sakura had to leap back from the window to avoid being hit by the orange and yellow cannonball that was Uzumaki Naruto.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He skid to a stop at the end of Sasuke’s bed, eyes wild as he panted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi, Loser,” Sasuke greeted. Sakura dove to restrain Naruto as he growled, eyes narrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>jackass</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Naruto nearly screeched, struggling fruitlessly against Sakura's grip. "You absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>piece of lousy shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, what were you </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Naruto bellowed, straining against Sakura’s grip. She planted her feet with chakra, both surprised and unsurprised by Naruto’s vehemence. “You could have died! Where would that have left your ambition? Where would that have left your best friend?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura wasn’t so focused on Naruto that she missed the pained expression on Sasuke’s face. Naruto had stopped struggling so much, but still tried to jerk out of her grip. She held tight, arms firmly around his waist in a grip that was meant to be as comforting as it was restrictive. “If you died before I could drag you back home, I—Sasuke, you... you..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura finally felt the fight bleed out of him. He sniffled once, struggling for words, and once she was sure he was not going to attack, Sakura let him go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Naruto scrambled over the end of the bed as soon as he was released, straddling Sasuke’s knees with his hands pinning his shoulders. Sasuke let out a grunt of pain as Naruto’s palm hit one of his healing wounds, and Sakura watched for any actual damage with a wary eye. She relaxed a little when Naruto just buried his face in Sasuke's chest, his anger giving way to sobs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sasuke's grimace could have been either physical or emotional pain, she wasn't sure, but after a moment he brought one hand up to rest on Naruto's shoulder in return, and Sakura saw the glimmer of tears in the corner of his eyes, which were steadfastly fixed on the ceiling, avoiding hers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head and dragged her chair back to the bedside. Everything else could wait, really. She dropped into the chair and pillowed her head on a folded arm, lifting her free hand to cover Sasuke's on Naruto's shoulder. With a long, shuddering sigh, Team 7 fell into a strange, apprehensive, relieved silence together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi moved from asleep to awake with a sluggishness that he was entirely unused to. He recognized the beeping of a heart monitor nearby, and registered the uptick in his heartbeat even as he struggled to control it. They would know he was awake, whoever </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>were. Wherever he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It must have been a larger city to have the advanced medical equipment he could hear whirring around him, which meant that they likely knew who he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two chakra signatures entered the room, whispering to themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s only stirring, let’s just get his vitals and go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You get his temperature, I’ll mark the chart.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’ll mark the chart, I don’t want to—eep!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes managed to flutter open, revealing two young women in nurse scrubs, one of whom was hiding behind a clipboard, and the other behind the first. They were staring, wide-eyed and terrified at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“U-Uchiha-s-san, m-my name is... is Mako and I just n-need to take your, uh. Your vital signs, really quickly, sir,” the one hiding behind the clipboard stuttered. Itachi frowned, his eyes now flickering to the other figures in the room. He hadn’t even sensed them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see at a glance four guards in porcelain animal masks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>he hadn’t sensed them; they were Konohagaure ANBU.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rush of ice ran through his veins and he hissed in pain as he tried to sit up. The girls squeaked, and he saw them scoot back, eyes trained on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stand down, Uchiha,” one of the ANBU commanded, and Itachi furrowed his brow. His eyes flicked around to take in the ready positions of the guards, and a splitting headache alerted him to the fact that he had activated his mangekyou. With a groan, he let his eyes bleed to black, watching the world blur and smear around him with some resignation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A hand fell on his shoulder and he managed to crane his neck to find another guard pushing him back down on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He allowed it, sinking into the mattress with a groan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let them do their job,” the ANBU said, his tone surprisingly conciliatory, almost familiar in its echo behind the porcelain. Itachi nodded, and the ANBU stepped back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako finally approached, holding up a thermometer. “P-please hold this under your tongue for a minute, Uchiha-s-san,” she asked nervously. Itachi obediently opened his mouth and lifted his tongue for her to position it, then closed his lips around the device to hold it in place. Mako withdrew her hand as if he were an alligator, quickly, and it crossed Itachi’s mind to be amused before dizziness swept over him and he closed his eyes against the strange sense of vertigo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Pulse is still elevated," the other girl said. "We need his b-blood pressure."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi opened his eyes and could see enough to tell that the girls were exchanging terrified glances, which sent a stab of exasperation through him. He didn't expect medics to be fearless, of course—with maybe one exception, and was she even in the village right now?—but they were fussing as if he were a dangerous animal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reigned in the thought. For all </span>
  <em>
    <span>they </span>
  </em>
  <span>knew, he was. Very, very few people knew that he wasn't. The aching in his lungs had been growing since he woke up, and he absently wished that Sasuke's med-nin teammate was there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl's quiet squabbling was interrupted by the slide of the hospital room door, and they squeaked, spinning to face the new threat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All Itachi could see was pink and blue, but the pink appeared to be at hair-level, and he felt a wave of relief sweep through him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mako-chan, Jeri-chan," her voice was sharp and familiar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, ma’am! We were just taking vitals!" One of the girls announced, holding out the clipboard. Sakura hummed as she took it and appeared to look it over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll take it from here," she said. The girls hastily bowed and scurried out of the room. Itachi almost took offense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, Uchiha-San, you are unbelievably lucky," she said. There was a clatter as she pulled something off the wall, and then she was right beside him, lifting an arm to slip a cuff onto it. Cold metal touched the inside of his elbow and a pneumatic hiss heralded an incremental squeeze on his upper arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh..." he managed to murmur as she unwrapped his arm and set it down, scribbling something on her clipboard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your blood pressure is still lower than I'd like to see, and your pulse is a bit high, but we should be able to continue treatment starting this afternoon," she announced. “How are you feeling?” Itachi frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, she snorted, shaking her head as she reached forward and finally plucked the mercury thermometer from Itachi's lips. "Sorry about that," she added, then continued. "As I said, we'll be able to continue treatment for your lungs and eyes as soon as you've spoken with Tsunade-shishou. She’ll be in as soon as you’re up for a quick conversation."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Treatment?" Itachi was able to ask, brows furrowing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Judging by the buildup of chakra behind your eyes, you're nearly blind without your sharingan, correct?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi nodded dumbly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And, during surgery, I found your lungs ravaged by infection. You could barely breathe </span>
  <em>
    <span>going into</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fight with Sasuke, isn't that right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi's brow furrowed deeper. She should know that. Was this a different girl from the cabin? He couldn't see, and didn't dare activate his sharingan to check. He just nodded, before a flash of horror crossed his mind. His fight with Sasuke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How had he forgotten?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sasuke!" He cried out, trying to sit up suddenly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dizziness and a pair of delicate hands forced him back onto the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's the one who brought you here. Begged me to save you, even," she mused aloud, sounding somewhat humoring. "He is fine. Sasuke woke up a few hours ago. Naruto is with him right now. You can see him later."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slumped back onto the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He brought me here?" He asked weakly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He did. Ran two days straight and collapsed in our lobby. Lucky he did, another hour or so and you'd have been gone. As it was, you were in surgery for ages. We had to use three different preservation fuinjutsu, and I still didn't get to finish your lungs or eyes." She sounded strangely put-out by that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi was silent. He didn't really know how to respond, and he was starting to feel exhaustion pulling him back into darkness, despite the growing pressure in his chest. The murkiness prompted a sudden coughing fit that caught him off guard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman rushed to his bedside and placed her hands on his chest, and he felt cool healing chakra flood his lungs. It was definitely her chakra, he thought absently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," he heard her say distantly. "This is why I wanted to get to your lungs."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head as his coughing eased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll need to do a more in-depth exam. The OR was mostly damage control," she went on to say as the cooling sensation retreated. "The same for your eyes. I'm confident I can heal both, with some time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi looked up at her. She was close enough to make out features—a gentle smile and warm eyes. Then she retreated into the same colorful smear as the rest of the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Tsunade-shishou will be in to speak with you a little later. I suggest you rest until then."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No sooner had Itachi nodded than she was gone, leaving him with what he suspected were six total ANBU guards. He sunk into the pillows and drifted off, his last thought being that he forgot to ask whether Danzo knew he was here, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsunade turned the black and red scroll over in her hands slowly, her mind racing through scenarios. Her desk was, for once, entirely clear, except for a folder and a saucer of sake that sat forgotten as she pondered the Uchiha Situation. She picked at the knot holding the little scroll closed. It wasn’t even sealed with chakra. Perhaps they thought it was unnecessary, given all of the other protections.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A hesitant knock echoed through her office, and she was drawn out of her thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enter!” she called, setting the scroll on top of the folder after she finished unravelling the tie, and she sat back in her chair, fixing her gaze on the young woman entering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yamanaka,” she said, nodding. Ino stepped fully into the office, curious and apprehensive in equal measure. She didn’t often receive personal summons from the Hokage. Tsunade stood up, slamming her hand down on the folder. “I seem to have left my preferred sake at my house. Guard these top secret documents in the fifteen minutes it will take for me to return,” she said abruptly, then swept out of the room, shutting the door securely behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ino stared after her, bewildered for a moment, before approaching the desk. The untied scroll and unsealed folder sat, taunting her. Tsunade knew who she was, right? She was a Yamanaka. Her father brought her up on Intelligence work. Having her guard top-secret materials was like having Choji guard a warehouse of chips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced at the door and pursed her lips, concluding that Tsunade summoned her very deliberately. She extended her senses and found nobody nearby—maybe a single ANBU, but when he made no move to stop her, she deduced that her mission had been set already.  She unraveled the scroll quickly, not recognizing the colors, and drank in the details of the mission it outlined, her eyes growing wider and more horrified with every word.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly, she flipped through the file as well, almost holding her breath in anticipation as she took in the details that Tsunade had collected on a division of ANBU that she appeared to have no control over. Glancing at the clock, she found that she had less than a minute left, so she rearranged the folder and scroll exactly as they were before Tsunade left, and stood back in front of the desk. She affected a casual air as Tsunade returned to her office, carrying a large jug of sake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsunade resettled at her desk, drained the forgotten saucer, and refilled it from the new jug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did anyone unintended enter the office and see these?” she asked casually.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Hokage-sama.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. It could be very damaging to Councilman Danzo should this particular information be disclosed to anyone outside of this office,” Tsunade continued casually.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In her mind’s eye, Ino saw Sasuke and his brother collapsed in the lobby of the hospital again. It had taken her hours to stabilize Sasuke but he was unhelpful once healed, passing out without any word other than his brother’s name. Tsunade had shortly thereafter emerged from the operating room to address the hospital staff and give them very strict orders to speak to no one about who had arrived, before returning to finish saving Itachi’s life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Ino knew why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A slow grin took Ino’s lips. “Understood, ma’am,” she said with a firm nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I forgot why I summoned you here. Go on, get out,” Tsunade flapped her hands at the door, and Ino bowed, turning to take her leave. She passed one last glance over her shoulder at the materials on Tsunade’s desk, before slipping into the hallway and very carefully not racing home.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This got edited a little faster than expected, despite <i>entirely</i> rewriting 2/3rds of it. Ino might have shoehorned herself a little more firmly into the plot, which I'm not mad about. She's nosy like that. Originally, her part was going to be a brief omake I posted at the end, but she was like "naw, bitch, lemmie in." So I did.</p>
<p>I hope everyone's staying safe and taking care of themselves, and I'll see you again in about a week!</p>
<p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>August 20th, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As she climbed the steps of the Hokage tower wearily, Sakura realized that she hadn't been home in three days. She winced, thinking of the basket of strawberries that had been just this side of ripe when she left—they would be mush on the counter by the time she got back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In between making sure Naruto didn't undo all of Ino's hard work on Sasuke and checking in on Itachi’s post-op, Sakura had managed to slip into the locker room showers and don a pair of spare scrubs. Her brief nap with Team 7 had rejuvenated her just enough to make it up the stairs to her mentor's office, but she slumped onto the couch along the wall after being bade enter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade fixed her with a sharp look, and Sakura straightened, but couldn't muster the energy to actually get back up. After a moment, Tsunade's expression softened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good work on Uchiha," she said. A tired but proud smile came over Sakura's face. It had been a hard surgery, and Tsunade had let her take the lead throughout, never questioning her judgement calls when it got dicey. Sakura was particularly grateful when it came to </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> judgement call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tsunade-shishou, a word,” Sakura pulled her aside as two of the other medics were setting up the first preservation seal. Tsunade’s raised eyebrow was the only invitation necessary to continue. “I will explain everything later, but for now please prepare a guard on the Uchiha. I have reason to believe that Danzo will come after them.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“My </span>
  </em>
  <span>councilman</span><em><span>, Shimura Danzo?” Tsunade asked sharply. Sakura nodded firmly. Tsunade’s brow furrowed, and Sakura could tell her lips would be pursed behind her surgical mask. After a long moment, Tsunade turned on her heel and left the OR. Sakura bit her lip and turned back to the seal-making process. It was almost complete, and as soon as it was, she would need to go back in to work on the infection encroaching upon his heart. Moments later, she heard Tsunade return from behind her. Her mentor caught her eye and nodded once, before they were both interrupted by the sealmaster calling the final symbol.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, Shishou," she said. "And thank you for the guard on him," she added thoughtfully. Tsunade sat back and snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're just lucky I had some background on his status already," Tsunade said. "I know how you are with the tall, dark, and handsome ones."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura sat up, sputtering indignantly. "That's never been...! Shishou, no!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade laughed at her, and Sakura sunk back onto the couch, a little pink-cheeked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't tease," she mumbled, nose wrinkled. "I'm so tired." Then she paused, frowning. "Background?" She asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade lifted a file on her desk and waved it illustratively for a moment before dropping it back onto the wood. It gave a heavy, solid slap as it landed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Danzo has been on my ass finding excuses to subvert my authority ever since I took the hat. So, I've been doing some digging right back," she explained. "The Uchiha Order isn't the only egregious mission he's demanded, just the most public." Sakura eyed the thick file for a moment before she was distracted by a knock at the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade stood to accept the scroll from the messenger, glancing at the seal before opening it right away. She skimmed the contents, then offered the messenger a nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a go,” she said. The ANBU disappeared, and Tsunade dropped back into her chair, her eyes now hard and calculating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sakura,” she began. “If this backfires, and the council finds Danzo not guilty, he could have grounds to go to the Daimyo and have me removed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura sat up straighter, sensing the serious conversation. “The council?” she asked. As far as she knew, there were only three on the Council. “Homura-san and Koharu-san support you, don’t they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not the Kage’s advisory council. The ad-hoc Justice Council I’m convening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura’s jaw went slack and she slowly mouthed the words, her brow furrowing in confusion. Tsunade almost laughed at her expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> now?” Sakura finally found her voice to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ad-Hoc Justice Council,” Tsunade repeated. “It will go better for the Uchiha if their story is heard by an official tribunal. I’m not worried about the civilian opinion—” Tsunade held up a hand to stall Sakura’s hot response to that “—for reasons you will soon learn, Sakura, have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>faith in me. But the Clans opinions will be the most difficult to sway. They were the ones who pushed the Uchiha out in the first place, relegating them to the outskirts of town and avoiding them out of fear and anger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura crossed her arms, shoving her anger into a small hole as she tried to smooth out her frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you plan to put them on trial?” she asked. It was uncommon, but not unheard of. Typically, the Hokage’s word was law. Tsunade nodded, but didn’t elaborate further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need rest,” she said finally. “I’ll tell you everything, but later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura was about to protest when she recognized her own words to Sasuke, and realized she really must look awful right now for Tsunade to be encouraging her to take a step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, shishou,” she said, heaving herself to her feet. As she stood, her head swam and exhaustion came over her again. She gave a short bow and retreated from the office, intent on stumbling home and passing out, maybe even before she reached her bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Sakura was called away by a nurse telling her that another patient needed her, Naruto slowly slid off the bed and into the chair she had just vacated. Sasuke had his eyes closed, but Naruto wasn’t convinced he was asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sasuke," he started quietly. Sasuke shifted, cracking one eye open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hn," he grunted. Naruto crossed his arms, unable to look him in the eye. He stayed quiet a beat too long, it seemed, because Sasuke groaned and pushed himself up to sit. "What is it, loser?" he asked. Naruto scowled briefly, but otherwise didn't react. "Toad got your tongue?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nevermind," Naruto bit out. "You're just going to leave again as soon as you're healed, aren't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sasuke was taken aback, and fell silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I..." he finally tried to say something, but couldn't croak out the words. "I needed to..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You thought you could become stronger out there." It wasn't a question; Sasuke had announced as much in their storied battles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"To kill... to kill Itachi," Sasuke rebut, his voice weak. He cursed himself in his head for the lack of conviction in his tone now. "Which I... not..." He visibility floundered, and Naruto latched on to the indecision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto looked up, his eyes dark and calculating in a way Sasuke has never seen before. He swallowed hard as he was reminded that Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja had studied under Jiraya—the sannin known as much for his brilliance as for his perversion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So you're not leaving?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sasuke paused a long time. His eyes trained on the ceiling, scanning back and forth as if he could read the correct answer among the plaster tiles. Finally, he sighed deeply. Naruto watched as he seemed to deflate, his exhalation carrying both fight and flight from his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Sasuke said finally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naruto likewise let out a long breath and the cold look left his eyes. He slumped in his chair, feeling the exhaustion from his run home and the long-awaited reunion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ino's ears were always perked around the market. There was no telling when or where juicy gossip—her father called it </span>
  <em>
    <span>intelligence</span></em><span>, but old habits were hard to break—would come from. This time, however, there was a certain thrill when she realized that she knew exactly where the juicy gossip was coming from.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...and that's a helluva claim so I had to dig, right? And most of it is right there in the archives! I looked at old city planning stuff. I don't know why nobody seems to remember but the Uchiha District didn't exist until like 20 years ago. The police used to live in the neighborhoods their beats were in. There was the Clan complex, but it was just the mansion, a pavilion, and some training grounds back then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No way! They've got like twenty houses in the district."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Some fast sales went on, all by the same broker—a civilian </span>
  <em>
    <span>Saruobi</span></em><span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> juicy, Ino admitted, impressed with the young man's investigative streak. She browsed the apples, edging closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Once the officers moved out of the neighborhoods, the civilians felt slighted. There's some old op-eds on it I found. But the relationship stayed good mostly until the end. Nobody knew why that kid snapped but if the rumor I overheard is true... hell, I wish I could get my hands on that mission scroll!" He lamented. Ino sized him up out of the corner of her eye. He had an ID badge hanging from his bag that identified him as the crime writer for the Konohagakure Sunrise Press. She put two apples in her basket and swept past him, head high and filled with a plan.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, folks, this was admittedly shorter than I planned on it being, while simultaneously making the story longer. You may have noticed this story is now 6 chapters, not 5. Chapter 3.1 will be out next Thursday, and then we should be back on track, unless Itachi and Sasuke get loquacious and I have to split Ch5 as well! Either way, we're at least halfway through. Thanks for reading everyone. Your kudos, subs, and comments are my life right now!</p><p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>August 27, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He has been reading in his study when an urgent summons from the Hokage arrived. Danzo grumbled about uppity women, but donned his robes and made haste to the Hokage tower. Upon arrival, he was approached by one of his agents.</p><p>"Danzo-sama!" The agent managed to call out, before Danzo was surrounded by other ANBU—none were his. They didn't allow his own agent any closer, and ushered him quickly into a secure study near the Hokage's office.</p><p>"If Tsunade isn't ready for me yet, I believe Tortoise has a message for me?" Danzo frowned as the ANBU took up guards at the door and each window.</p><p>"She won't be long," one ANBU asserted. "You will stay here and wait for her."</p><p>Danzo paced restlessly, eyeing the six guards, and found himself certain that there were additional ones outside—still, none were his. And why wouldn't another ANBU be permitted to deliver a message?</p><p>A cold chill swept down his spine, but he managed to remain passive, only pausing his pacing to sit heavily in one of the uncomfortable leather chairs.</p><p>He knew better than to ask again about Tsunade's whereabouts. It was clear that he was being detained for some reason, but they were keeping all of his agents away. Whether that was a coincidence or by design, Danzo couldn't say for sure, but he could certainly guess.</p><p>The only question now was, what did the Hokage think she had on him? He was confident that ROOT's current operations remained a secret. He had made no overt moves against her, either.</p><p>A sharp rap sounded on the door, and one of the guards inside opened it to admit Morino Ibiki. His lips were set in a thin, grim line that almost looked like another scar on his face.</p><p>"Shimura-sama, I apologize for the wait," he said, his tone light and polite in a manner very unlike him. "The Hokage is handling a situation at the hospital and is unlikely to be out of surgery soon. She has asked me to confirm a few details with you, however," he said, pulling out the chair opposite Danzo's and sliding into it with a grace belied by his size.</p><p>"What is the meaning of all of this?" Danzo demanded, sitting up straighter, leaning across the table.</p><p>"I'd like to ask the same thing," Ibiki asked, producing a folder from his jacket pocket. He slid it across the table, and Danzo caught it with his unbandaged hand, eyeing the label on the tab.</p><p>Uchiha Sasuke.</p><p>"What about the boy?"</p><p>"He had an interesting story about his family that bears investigation," Ibiki's thin-lipped frown grew into a terrifying gash of a grin. "So, I'm here to investigate."</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Itachi hadn’t met Tsunade before, but was aware of her by reputation. If he was surprised when the youthful-looking, buxom blonde walked into his hospital room, with her arms crossed and a fiercely determined expression on her face, he didn’t show it.</p><p>“Hokage-sama,” he greeted quietly. He had wrestled himself up into a more dignified seated position after Sakura had left—with no help from the ANBU, of course. They had only watched him so far as to ensure that he wasn’t going for any hidden weapons or jutsu seals. He resented it somewhat, but recognized that the fact that he was even alive, and unshackled, was significant in his situation.</p><p>“Uchiha,” Tsunade greeted, coming to a stop by his bedside. She looked towards the ANBU, and dismissed them with a nod. All six vanished from the room, although Itachi was certain they hadn’t gone far. Tsunade stared down at him.</p><p>“As far as anyone else knows, Sasuke awoke briefly enough to pass along your story about Danzo’s involvement in the Uchiha massacre,” she began bluntly. Itachi quickly lost his battle to remain impassive, eyes widening with surprise.</p><p>“If not Sasuke...” Itachi started, barely a whisper.</p><p>“As soon as you were not actively dying, Sakura pulled me aside and told me that news of your return absolutely could not reach Danzo’s ears before he was detained and unable to contact his secret underground personal ANBU squad.”</p><p>“Root,” Itachi whispered, his mouth dry. Tsunade nodded.</p><p>“I’ve been asking around, and I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of what happened. I would like to hear your side of the story, now,” she said sternly. Itachi swallowed hard, and Tsunade’s expression flickered. She reached for the pitcher of water at the bedside table and poured him a glass, helping him take a drink when his own hands trembled too much to keep from spilling. </p><p>Itachi swallowed again, took a deep breath, and began his story with the segregation of the Uchiha clan in the aftermath of the Nine-Tailed Fox’s attack when he was five years old.</p><p>Tsunade kept silent throughout the tale, and he was struck with the familiarity of her listening style when he recalled Sakura’s intent absorption of his story when he had told it to her. He could almost feel the heat of the fire they had sat in front of in that cabin in the woods.</p><p>He felt wrung out when he finished, and slumped against his pillows. Tsunade’s gaze hadn’t wavered once during his tale, and now the weight of it began to feel heavy. His eyes burned, although he wasn’t sure whether it was from exhaustion or... </p><p>Something damp trickled down his neck. He realized with a start that he was, in fact, crying. Wordlessly, Tsunade handed him the small box of scratchy hospital tissues that were on the bedside table next to the water. Flushing red, he accepted the box and wiped at his eyes.</p><p>Tsunade shifted, uncrossing her arms so that she could reach into a pocket and produce a small, black scroll, bound with a red cord. Itachi’s eyes widened.</p><p>“I take it you recognize this,” she said, tossing it up and down a few times, as if measuring its heft. Physically, there wasn’t much more than paper and string. It was a scroll like any other, except for its contents. Black and red missives contained ROOT orders.</p><p>“How did you get that?” Itachi’s eyes locked onto it warily, and he struggled to keep his breathing under control. Distantly, he noticed how much easier it was to draw breath than it had been in recent months—almost like the few precious days after his encounter with the medic in the mountains.</p><p>“As it happens, you have friends in some very low places, Uchiha Itachi. This exonerates you, as far as I’m concerned.”</p><p>Tsunade’s eyes twinkled with something that looked very much like triumph, and Itachi wondered why that was for a moment before her words began to sink in.</p><p>“Hokage-sama...” he whispered, unable to form properly grateful words through the whirlwind in his mind.</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet,” Tsunade said loftily, almost teasingly, as she shoved the scroll back in her pocket. “You will have to stand trial to be exonerated in the court of public opinion, but I'm working on that part."</p><p>She swept out of the room before Itachi could formulate a response. His wide eyes stared at the door, until he was startled by the abrupt return of six ANBU nin.</p><p>Itachi quickly wiped his eyes again, and set the box of tissues on the bedside. He sunk down into his pillows, feeling the pressure of more tears behind his eyes. Itachi let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, and relaxed into the hospital bed, falling asleep almost before the tears fell down his cheeks.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>
  <span>Ino stood by the lamppost outside the Konohagakure Sunrise Press, twirling her hair—a glossy, curly brown, for the moment—and looking at a map. She swept her eyes surreptitiously up and down the street, waiting. Her target finally came along, his own gaze locked on the contents of a blue folder. Ino smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, good,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He found it.</span></em>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes darted up to identify the strange figure in the street, but he immediately relaxed upon seeing that it was just a young woman. He continued into the press office, heedless of the growing dusk, and unaware of her eyes following him. Ino smirked, turning on her heel and vanishing into the shadowed alley across the road. If her plan worked—and she knew it would—she had to get some sleep before the first papers hit the stand tomorrow.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My spellcheck wanted Ibiki's name to be Bikini, and Uchiha to be Chihuahua. :Shrug emoji:</p><p>I apologize for the long wait, folks. It's been almost two full months when I promised weekly updates. A lot's been happening and I've just been a mess. On the up-side, I finally got health insurance and started back on antidepressants for the first time in almost a decade, so I'm really hoping that contributes to some more frequent and stable updates.</p><p>That being said, I've already got another one queued to drop in two days! I was originally going to have it in this chapter, but it'd make the chapter almost 3k and I can't commit to updates that big so I won't get your hopes up for longer chapters (:</p><p>Take care, folks. It's gnarly out there.</p><p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>October 24th, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Itachi drifted in and out of consciousness for a few hours after Tsunade’s visit. Somewhere in the back of his mind he placed the red and green mask of the ANBU to his right, and a security washed over him that let him drift, although he couldn’t yet put a name to the mask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Uchiha-san,” a pleasant voice said. Recognition filtered into his brain and he cracked his eyes open. They were not as gummy the first time, but it still felt somewhat uncomfortable. A headache quickly shot through him, and he caught a glimpse of concerned green eyes before he quickly switched off his sharingan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He racked his brain for the name. “Haruno-san,” he said finally. He felt more than saw the warmth of her smile as she approached the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she said simply. “How are you feeling? Tsunade-shishou said that you were a little dazed, but lucid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lucid might be a strong word,” Itachi blurt out. Sakura giggled lightly, leaning over him to adjust his pillow. She slipped a hand behind his back and lifted him like he were no more than a child, then levered the bed up so he could sit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to give you a quick once-over, then I’m going to try to make some progress on your lungs and eyes, okay?” she said. Itachi’s brows furrowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” he asked. Sakura took his chart from the end of the bed and studied it for a moment. He didn’t remember anyone coming in to make any changes, but she seemed absorbed in it for a long time. Finally, she looked up at the ANBU in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please wait outside,” she addressed them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haruno-san, Is that a good idea?” one said from behind her. She turned to nod at him. After a moment, and with a series of curt nods, the ANBU vanished, except the one closest to the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cat-san?” Sakura addressed him, question clear in her tone. Itachi’s eyes finally widened in recognition, and he twisted around to get a better look. The action made him dizzy, but he was able to focus what remained of his vision on the smear of black and white. The ANBU allowed his chakra to be felt, and Itachi sunk back into the bed in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tenzo-sempai?” he whispered. Sakura looked back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haruno-kun, if you don’t mind, I’ll stay,” he said, and Itachi immediately recognised the voice this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s up to Uchiha-san,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Uchiha-san, do you consent to Cat-san’s presence during your medical treatment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a choice?” Itachi asked hoarsely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Sakura replied breezily. “Cat-san is trusted by the Hokage implicitly, but he doesn’t yet know... </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the circumstances of your ongoing treatment regimen yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He can stay,” Itachi replied. Sakura hesitated only momentarily before nodding, then approaching the bedside, setting the chart on the table and rolling up her sleeves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt her apprehension as she cracked her knuckles and pulled down the blanket over his chest, laying her hands gently on his sternum and diaphragm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last time, I was able to identify some damage, and to be honest, I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” she said quietly. “It looks like a combination of a defect and some burn damage, possibly compounded by a parasitic or fungal infection,” she said, her hands glowing green. Itachi felt the nearly-familiar wash of cool medical chakra as she pushed into his lungs and felt out the extent of the current damage. She continued her assessment, casually chatting the whole while. “In the OR, I was able to see a little more, but since that was largely trauma surgery, I couldn’t get as close of an examination as I wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The issue with fungal and parasitic infections is that, since they are a foreign body that your immune system doesn’t fight in quite the same way as a virus or bacteria, they’re harder to detect with chakra. Only someone with the kind of chakra control that Tsunade-shishou or I have would be able to detect or treat it, and if you’ve mostly seen shinobi doctors, they were unlikely to run blood tests, since many of them rely too much on chakra to cure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haruno-san,” Cat interrupted. Sakura looked up. “How do you know what doctors he’s seen before?” he asked, his tone unaccusing but wary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story,” Sakura sighed, “but I accidentally healed him before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a slightly tense silence, and Sakura sighed. “Look, Tsunade-shishou has already reprimanded me for not saying anything sooner, but circumstances as they are, she’s decided to overlook my mistake, at least until our next training session. ...I’m going to get my ass handed to me,” she finished with a grumble, finally removing her hands from Itachi’s chest. She made some notes on the chart, then turned back to him, ignoring the somewhat stunned ANBU operative hovering nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to look at your eyes now. I can improve those right away, at least,” she said. “It might be uncomfortable, though, since the chill of medical chakra in your head can give a sensation like brain freeze,” she warned. Itachi nodded silently, and she sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward to lightly put her fingertips on his temples. They were warm and soft for a moment before the cool rush of chakra invaded his skull. Itachi winced, but Sakura didn’t apologize, feeling straight for the buildup behind his eyes. His brows furrowed as his headache intensified and he let out a low moan, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth as if it would alleviate the chill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura pressed on, however, and soon the pressure alleviated. There was a long, ebbing feeling, then the cold retreated. He opened his eyes, having hardly realised that he had closed them against the discomfort, and looked up at her gentle smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does that feel?” she asked, her eyes darting between his as she checked for any abnormal pupil reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had some freckles. Very light; just a fine dusting across her nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he could see them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened before looking around the room. It was still a little fuzzy, and there was a strange halo around the lights, but he turned to see the masked man at his bedside and could make out almost clearly the familiar markings of his old teammate’s mask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked back to Sakura, whose smile had broadened into a grin. “Better, I take it,” she said, sitting back and looking a little smug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just for a moment, try turning on your sharingan,” she said, her order brisk as she stood up off the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did so, and the world sharpened further. He could see cracks in the walls. The twist of the cord on the blinds. There were some birds on the wire outside; one of the sparrows had a missing toe. He took it all in, then turned back to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t seen this sharply in years,” he confessed. “It’s...” he trailed off, at a loss for words. He was afraid she’d laugh if he said it was beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, deactivate your sharingan, please. Don’t use it for a while; you need another treatment or two before you’ll be able to use it regularly again, and after that you’ll need upkeep every few months to prevent it from getting too bad. Kakashi comes in after every other mission, but that’s because he can’t turn his off. You should need it less often.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once again, Itachi felt a sense of awe and gratitude towards the medic he met in the mountains so many months ago. She turned to the chart once more and made a final note before hanging it on the end of the bed. Sakura spared a glance at Cat-san.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need to tell you this remains in this room,” she said sternly. “Tsunade-shishou is the only one who knows. Sasuke thinks that Itachi came-to long enough to inform us about Danzo. Kakashi-sensei is being told the same, for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cat nodded and Sakura blew out a long breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” she announced, straightening. “I’m heading home for the night. Shizune-san is the attending tonight. Call her if there are any issues or concerns.” At Cat’s nod, she turned back to Itachi one more time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No restless wandering,” she admonished playfully. “I know it sucks to be stuck in bed, but you really need to recover. The next few days will be rough,” she warned. Itachi nodded, and she gave him another beatific smile, pat his leg under the blankets, and swept out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Sakura trudged into her apartment foyer, she realised that it had been three full, insane days since she left for an ordinary day's work. She shuffled into the kitchen and noticed that her strawberries, as expected, had oozed sugary rot-water into a puddle on the counter. She wrinkled her nose and vowed to handle it in the morning as she started to strip off her scrubs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was interrupted by an insistent knock on the door in Ino’s familiar “I have gossip and you’re going to hear it whether you want to or not” cadence. She hollered for her to come in, and slipped into her room to change into pajamas as she heard Ino’s spare key in the lock. She re-emerged to find the blonde’s ponytail swinging windy as she bounced in Sakura’s livingroom. Sakura groaned but put the kettle on for tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, what’s up? I haven’t slept in my own bed for three days which is ridiculous outside of a mission. I just want to lay down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ino’s eyes sparkled and she bounced over, throwing her arms around Sakura.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forehead, it’s completely insane and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> broke the story! It’ll be in tomorrow’s papers,” she gushed. “Of course, nobody will know I broke it because I had to hand it off to a civvie reporter, but you’re Tsunade’s apprentice, she’s told you, right? About the Uchiha?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura groaned as she pulled away and lurched into the kitchen. Ino followed as she pulled down two mugs for tea and dropped cheap teabags of a calming herbal blend in each. Ino was still bouncing as Sakura shoved a hot mug in her hand and padded over to the couch, where she sank down in a corner and finally addressed her with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Itachi was given </span>
  <em>
    <span>orders</span>
  </em>
  <span> to kill the Uchiha! By the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Council!</span></em><span>” she gushed, as if Sakura hadn’t just admitted to knowing. “There was a coup planned because the Uchiha were shunted into the compound by a Sarutobi, and the only way to prevent the coup was to get rid of the Uchiha,” she continued. Sakura looked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t the only way,” she said. Ino stopped, eyebrows raised and head cocked to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forehead?” she asked warningly. “What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Itachi and another Uchiha, Shisui, had another plan to use genjutsu to erase the coup from the Uchiha elder’s minds,” she divulged, feeling just the tiniest bit please to have one up over the young woman who had practically trained to be an intelligence officer since she was a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A genj—Shisui... </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT?</span></em><span>” Ino screeched, banging her mug on the coffee table and lunging forward to grab Sakura’s shoulders, shaking her and sloshing tea everywhere. Sakura hissed as the burning liquid covered her hand and Ino backed away, chastised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” she said flippantly, quickly summoning healing chakra by way of apology, soothing the burn. “But </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sakuraaa</span></em><span>,” she resumed, fixing her best friend with a piercing glare. Sakura new that look and groaned. “How do you know this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura sunk down into the couch, her head falling back on the armrest as she groaned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have the energy for this,” she mumbled. “I met Itachi a few months ago—</span><em><span>shut up you’ll wake my neighbors—</span></em><span>in Kumo. He told me the whole story then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Ino cut off her screeching she was back on Sakura, shaking her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span><em><span>You never said a word!</span></em><span>” she accused. Sakura managed to lift a hand through Ino’s grip and pinch the bridge of her nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course</span>
  </em>
  <span> I didn’t!” she protested. “I didn’t even tell Tsunade.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ino gasped, retreating again. Sakura bit back a snarky comment about her getting whiplash if she kept rocketing back and forth across the couch. “Oh, you’re in for it next time you guys train,” Ino teased. Sakura let her head fall back again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she sighed. “I know.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Guys, I'd like to share with you some giddy news: thanks to a caffeine-fueled writing binge that kept me up WAY too late, this story is finished!! It is now completely written, so the last few chapters will be uploaded by Saturday, as I finish editing and going over them with a fine-tooth comb (How chair became Coil I will never know but I gotta catch those dumb things.)</p><p>Thanks as always for sticking with me and for all your subs, kudos, bookmarks, and encouraging comments!</p><p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>October 26, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nobody would consider Itachi healed by any stretch of the imagination, but after years of operating at half capacity due to his lungs, he jumped at the chance to get out of the hospital bed the moment a Chuunin was sent with a message to his hospital room. They very bravely marched in, handed the missive to the ANBU closest to the door, and then turned and bolted back out of the room. Itachi sighed, sinking into the pillows, feeling very much like he had when the nurses fought over who would approach him the morning before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uchiha-san,” the ANBU addressed him. It was the first time anyone other than Cat had spoken a word. He straightened and turned to face them. “The Hokage has requested your presence in her office,” they said. Itachi nodded and turned, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and quickly standing with only a brief sway before he got his balance and straightened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then that he glanced down at himself, clad in an open-backed hospital gown. He frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More appropriate attire will be brought shortly,” the ANBU continued. Itachi frowned and sat back down heavily, taking a deep breath. He could feel the pressure at the bottom of his lungs starting to build again already. He leaned forward, scrubbing his face with his palms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I know what the meeting is about?” he finally asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The request dosen’t say,” the ANBU replied, turning the scroll over to display the brief order. Itachi nodded and let his shoulders slump somewhat while they waited for his clothes to arrive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a knock at the door, and an ANBU opened it to show a nervous young nurse. He held out a bundle of black clothing and a pair of new shinobi sandals. The ANBU took them and shut the door back in his face without a word. Itachi’s lips pressed into something just short of a frown, but he accepted the bundle as it was handed over, glancing around to the ANBU guard who were all still watching him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well?” he prompted them, shaking out the clothes and laying them on the bed. It looked like utilitarian shinobi pants and a short hakama. As he examined the Hakama, however, he noticed something on the collar. Turning it over, he examined the tiny emblem. Someone had hand-embroidered an uchiwa in red and white, barely over a centimeter tall. He ran his thumb over the raised stitching and wondered who would possibly have made such a gesture in less than a day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Uchiha-kun,” Cat said from the side of the bed. Itachi sighed and shook his head, dropping the hakama on the bed and pulling on the underwear and pants under the gown, keeping one hand on the bed for balance. He quickly divested himself of the gown and shrugged on the hakama, pulling his hair out from under the collar. He touched the emblem again before dropping his hands to the tie, a warm hope filling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he tugged his clothes into place, another knock came at the door. He immediately recognised the chakra. So did the ANBU, evidently, because he slid the door open without hesitation and stepped aside for Kakashi to enter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood for a few moments, sizing each other up. Kakashi’s usual slouch was clearly a front, and Itachi could feel the tension radiating off him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I apologize for last time we met,” Itachi said abruptly. “In person, I mean,” he added, remembering that they encountered his clone in the interim. Kakashi snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for going easy on me, then, I guess. I was only out for three days.” Itachi winced, but didn’t say anything further. After another moment, Kakashi seemed to deflate a little, although his posture didn’t change. He jerked his head towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, kid,” he said. Itachi could tell he was smirking under the mask, and breathed a sigh of relief, following Kakshi out with the rest of their escort. He was flanked by Kakashi and Cat, and for a moment felt like he still belonged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whispers from the rest of the hospital as they filed through the halls quickly disabused him of that notion, however, as did the feeling of sun on his face when they reached the street. It seemed too bright, too alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at the sky. It was blue, with just a few puffy clouds. He could almost make out the contours of them, and the trees in front of the hospital had distinct, if fuzzy, leaves. His steps faltered, and Kakashi looked down at him, then around to see what he was looking at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maa, how bad was your vision before?” he asked quietly. Itachi shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bad,” he said quietly. The rest of the trip to Hokage Tower was silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon arrival, one of the ANBU knocked firmly on the Hokage’s door, and it was swung open by another agent inside to reveal Tsuande and Morino Ibiki poring over a scroll on the Hokage’s desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ANBU filed in, and Kakashi immediately slouched against a wall, pulling out a pornographic novel. Itachi felt his lips twitch. Some things didn’t change, at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uchiha-san,” Tsunade greeted, straightening and crossing her arms as she surveyed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hokage-sama,” he returned, bowing. “Morino-san,” he added to the T&amp;I agent. Ibiki didn’t respond except to fix him with a stern gaze that Itachi found characteristically difficult to decipher. The scarred man had a way of hiding everything--but of course that’s what made him so effective. Itachi wasn’t sure what his presence meant for the moment, but he felt strangely at ease. Ibiki’s presence meant that the truth would be heard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember what I told you yesterday?” Tsunade asked. Itachi nodded slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe so. About standing trial?” he ventured. She nodded and waved him forward, gesturing towards the scroll. Itachi looked down and took in the elaborate seal on the page. From what he could understand, it looked like it might have something to do with veracity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This seal was designed by the Yondaime Hokage to compel individuals to tell the truth. If you attempt to lie, your throat will close up and you will be unable to breathe,” she explained. Itachi nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be subject to this during questioning?” he asked, ghosting one finger over a kanji at the edge of the seal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Tsunade confirmed. Itachi glanced at Ibiki.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why isn’t this used for interrogation more regularly?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is very complex and dosen’t last long enough for most foreign nin interrogations. However, you’ll be cooperating with a brief period of questioning, so this is just to reassure the council that your words are the truth,” he said. “Danzo will be subject to the same seal during his own deposition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Itachi’s eyebrows both raised at this. “Danzo will be...” he trailed off, somewhat confused. Tsunade lifted her chin, the triumphant smirk from the day before openly playing on her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shimura Danzo,” she began acidly, “has been a thorn in my side since before I took the hat. However, due to his position, I cannot simply hand down a verdict without seeming biased. In light of your information, I have every confidence that the council I’m convening will find him guilty of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span></em><span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The clan elders will likely just vote for him, though,” Itachi pointed out. “The Uchiha weren’t popular with them. That’s what caused this mess in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade’s triumph didn’t fade as she leaned over and planted her palms on the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what makes this so brilliant. About seventy percent of the council—a representative proportion of the Konoha population—will be Civilian leaders. The Police Force </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> popular with most of </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and they’re less tainted by clan politics.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprise and awe stole over Itachi’s face. “Hokage-sama, thank you,” he murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me yet,” she reiterated warningly. “Nothing is set in stone. But I think it’s a hell of a fairer shake than you’d have had otherwise.” Itachi nodded, then turned back to the seal on the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do I need to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsunade spent a frantic but determined afternoon collecting the neighborhood association presidents, elected civilian officials, and Clan heads. She discreetly briefed them in small groups on the fact that they would be evaluating testimony regarding a controversial shinobi mission that had consequences for the village at large, and told them to arrive promptly at 11am the next day to the assembly hall in the Hokage Tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did not give further details, of course, so when Itachi was escorted into the room by two ANBU agents, there was a minor uproar. He sat quietly while the crowd settled, and Tsunade made some opening remarks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you for joining me," she began, standing in the middle of the dias, arms akimbo. "You may have seen some news articles recently about Itachi Uchiha." There was a murmur of assent and confusion through the room, and Tsunade held up a hand to stall it. "You are here today to hear it straight from the parties involved," she gestured to the dias where Itachi sat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the full attention of the room shift to him, but bore it stoically, keeping his own eyes on Tsunade as she introduced the process to the room. He would make his statement, then the council members and clan heads would get one question and one follow-up question each, snaking back and forth from the front of the room. As they chose their own seats, nobody could claim an order of favoritism.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her offer of clarification was met with silence, she opened a scroll and read from it: "In the matter of the Uchiha Incident and surrounding context, all disclosures made by Uchiha Itachi on this day, August 7th, between the hours of 11am and 2pm, are made under the influence of an honesty seal designed by Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, enacted by Morino Ibiki with the full consent of the sealed party. The seal will not allow him to say anything he knows to be untrue, but will permit him to choose not to answer a question, and does not prevent him from saying something he believes to be true, but which may otherwise be proven false later. Uchiha-san, will you demonstrate the seal?" Tsunade asked. With a nod, Itachi lifted his chin to reveal the black ink of a seal on its underside. A few clan heads leaned forward, squinting, before murmuring to themselves. "Uchiha-San, please state for the record that the sky is red."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The sky is r—" Itachi's statement was cut off as his throat constricted unpleasantly, and it only alleviated as he stopped trying to form the word. There was another murmur from the audience, and an elder civilian stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hokage-sama, that hardly proves anything. He must be willing to admit to something damaging under the seal to prove its efficacy," he said. Tsunade fixed him with a hard glare, then shifted her eyes to meet Itachi's, questioning. He thought for a moment, but then nodded and turned to address the man who had spoken up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fujikawa-sama, is there something you know, and I know, to be true, that nobody else in this room knows?" Itachi asked. "If memory serves, there might be. But its disclosure may embarrass someone close to you as well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fujikawa frowned, but then his eyes widened, and he hastily sat down. Tsunade raised an eyebrow at Itachi, who gazed levelly bbak, and she nodded minutely, turning back to the gathered crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If there are no further questions, Uchiha-San will proceed with his statement."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Itachi felt his heart race as all eyes fell back on him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It's just a mission report,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he told himself. After a deep, steadying breath, he started once again with the night the Yondaime Hokage sealed away the Kyuubi, and left nothing out on his way to the worst night of his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The deposition was interrupted in the middle by Ibiki, who had to re-assess the honesty fuinjutsu and recertify that it was still effective, as Itachi's story had barely ended and questioning only just started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he was led out of the room and back to the hospital for the night, the sun was setting outside the Hokage tower. Tsunade adjourned the council for the evening and warned participants against spreading conjecture until after Danzo's testimony the following day, then retreated to her office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment she slumped into her chair, she reached for the top desk drawer where she held her cheap swill. She had barely gotten the bottle uncapped when a firm knock came at the door. Tsunade sighed and bade her apprentice to enter. Sakura slipped in and re-closed the door behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How did it go?" She asked, equally eager and hesitant to hear the reactions of the justice council. Tsunade allowed a satisfied smile to curl her lips as she sunk back into her chair and set down the bottle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They're sympathetic," she started. "It helps that Itachi had such a stable reputation prior to the incident. I believe a lot of civilians were shocked and confused. The Uchiha police were well-known and mostly liked, and Fugaku's heir-apparent was often at events where the police helped out, and enough shopkeepers had his help as a tiny, quiet, polite geinin when he started on D-Rank missions out of the academy. They were told it's a shinobi thing, that he just snapped. I dont think a lot of them bought it. Now that they have a more reasonable explanation, they'll be quick to support him against Danzo," Tsunade explained, picking the bottle back up and taking a swing straight from it. Then, she laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel a little bad for Itachi. After the most pertinent questions were asked, some of the council started getting personal for their allotted question. Umino-san, Iruka’s mother? Asked if he’d consider marrying an older woman who already had a grown child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura snorted, imagining Itachi’s embarrassment. He was good at hiding it, but some cues still slipped through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, would he?” she asked, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His very diplomatic, truth-bound response was that, as a clan heir, his responsibility was to continue his bloodline, and given the opportunity to rebuild his clan, he would have to evaluate his choice of wife in part based on her expected fertility,” Tsunade nearly howled with laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sakura was caught up and giggled as well, but the mirth quickly faded as Tsunade took another drink, offering the bottle to her apprentice. Knowing better than to refuse these days, Sakura took a small sip, gagging a little on the pungent burn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What time does Danzo's deposition start?" Sakura asked. She handed back the bottle and slumped with some relief onto the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"11am, same time," Tsunade replied, sounding a little weary now. Sakura nodded silently, and they sat in the quiet for a few minutes until Tsunade sighed and re-capped the swill they had shared. She stashed it back in its drawer, stood, and stretched her arms over her head with a yawn before walking over to the bookshelf and pulling out a false-front of book spines. Sakura snorted and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know nobody is fooled by that, Shishou," she admonished before accepting the quickly poured saucer of the good stuff. Sakura raised the cup in toast to her master and downed it with her, relishing the warmer burn compared to the harsh tang of her first drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have every faith that the Uchiha will be vindicated, and I believe Yamanaka's efforts will pay off in the civilian public opinion, but shinobi have seen Itachi's picture in the Bingo books for a long time now," Tsunade said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shishou, </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> picture is in some Bingo books," she pointed out. "As is yours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But not our own," Tsunade pointed out. Sakura agreed with a sigh, accepting another pour from her mentor.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Almost there! Folks, I want to thank everyone for all the subs, kudos, bookmarks and comments. Its been years since I was really in the fanfic game and the support I've gotten here and within my Nanowrimo community have been invaluable in helping me write again. One more chapter to go on this one; thanks for sticking with me!</p><p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>October 28th, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter has been posted about 7 hours after the previous one; If you're following along, make sure you don't skip chapter 6! If you're clicking on the for the first time, thank you and enjoy! With this chapter, Disclosure is completed!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For the first time in years, Itachi stood and faced Shimura Danzo. For both of their sake, they were each wearing chakra restraint cuffs, although Itachi stood calmly, collected in the face of the council. Danzo shifted uneasily, rubbing the cuffs and scowling. Inwardly, Tsunade couldn’t have asked for a better tableau against which to read the verdict she had been handed, as utterly confident of the outcome as she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Silence!” she bellowed as the clock on the wall ticked over to 1:00 p.m. on the nose. The hall immediately settled. The full ad-hoc justice council was present, as well as three reporters from the major newspapers in Konoha and the Capital, and a representative of the Daimyo, who had just arrived in time for the final verdict.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsunade glanced at the two parties in question, on either side of the dais in the front of the room, each surrounded by her hand-picked ANBU. More were stationed outside to prevent interference from ROOT members, and she was prepared to get involved herself if it came down to it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hoped it wouldn’t come down to it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She cleared her throat and popped the wax seal from the scroll she held, shaking it out and skimming the council’s conclusion. She smirked, then began to read.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Justice Council convened on the matter of the Uchiha Incident July 18th, Founding Year 72, lays blame for the deaths of 154 members of the Uchiha Clan of Konohagakure on Shimura Danzo through his willful denial of a peaceful resolution and illegal mission assignment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quickly purpleing with rage, Danzo tried to stand up, shouting “That's absurd!” He was quickly shoved back into his seat by the ANBU next to him. Tsunade and Itachi ignored the outburst, although a quick glance told Tsunade that Itachi was surprised at the initial pronouncement. She shot a glare at Danzo as he was restrained and silenced by the ANBU, but didn’t deign to speak to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Justice council declined to charge Shimura Danzo with the murder of Uchiha Shisui and theft of his kekkai genkai due to a lack of evidence.” A triumphant ‘ha!’ escaped Danzo at this pronouncement, as if it outweighed the prior charge. Tsunade scowled over her shoulder, but continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Justice Council, however, charges Shimura Danzo with mutiny and sedition for his role in developing and maintaining a private army outside of the Hokage’s control. For his crimes, the Justice Council makes the following recommendations.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is lunacy! A witch hunt! I’ve never done anything but for the good of Konohagakure! I’ve given my </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span> to this village!” Danzo’s eyes were wild as he stared at the clan elders in front of him, some of whom shifted uncomfortably and refused to meet his eye. The Civilian members looked anxious, but also determined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Danzo ranted, Tsunade skimmed ahead, taking in the recommendations. Her eyebrows shot up as she, too, looked to the clan elders, then to the civilians. Fujikawa-san, despite his initial hesitance, had become one of Itachi’s biggest supporters in the few short hours after his initial deposition. </span>
  <em>
    <span>His</span>
  </em>
  <span> face wore a nasty smirk, and Tsunade had little question which suggestion was his.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shimura Danzo will be stripped of council-ship and all titles. Shimura Danzo will be fined one hundred million ryo to be paid as reparations to the Uchiha clan and victims of ROOT operations. Shimura Danzo will be confined to prison for a term of no less than one year for every life lost during the Uchiha Incident. He will have his chakra permanently blocked and his tenketsu burned. He will not be permitted visitors except by petition to the Hokage. Shimura Danzo will, at the discretion of the Uchiha Clan, be subjected to a genjutsu of their own design which may force him to experience the loss endured that night due to the premature and illegal orders given.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a heavy silence after she finished reading the recommendations. Tsunade turned to face the accused, her sharp eyes boring into Danzo’s. “As Godaime Hokage, I accept the Justice Council’s findings, charges, and recommendations,” she pronounced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A vein popped in Danzo’s forehead, and his eyes glittered with rage. He fought against the bindings, cursing her and her lineage. Tsunade cocked her head to the side, before turning to the assembled council, who appeared to have mixed reactions of surprise, relief, anger, and disgust. Her eyes landed on Hyuuga Hiashi in the front row.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hyuuga-sama,” she addressed. He stood elegantly, brushing invisible dirt from his robes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you carry out the recommended chakra block?” she asked, stepping aside and gesturing to the still struggling, furious former councilman. Hiashi eyed him with some distaste. There was no love lost between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, of course, but as his eyes darted towards Itachi, he knew that it could have just as easily been his clan. If Danzo had been in charge of the negotiations with Cloud, he could have ordered their whole clan be wiped out instead of just his brother’s death, all to keep the village from war. He shook the thought from his head with an imperceptible nod, and activated his Byakugan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sucked in a sharp breath as he took in the man’s chakra pathways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hokage-sama, may I amend the council’s recommendation based on new evidence?” he asked. Tsunade crossed her arms, frowning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What new evidence?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ANBU-san, would you please remove the bandage on Shimura-san’s arm?” Hiashi asked, his dojoutsu fixed on the man’s arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is absurd! There’s nothing under there but unsightly scar tissue! I have a right to my privacy and dignity!” Danzo clutched the arm to his chest, snarling at the ANBU who reached for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone here has seen scars before,” Tsunade said tersely. “Take them off,” she nodded at the ANBU. There was a struggle as three nin had to restrain him while a fourth began to unwrap the bandages covering his arm. A mass of scar tissue was revealed, as expected, but then a gasp rippled through those close enough to see the first eye revealed just below his elbow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A stolen sharingan,” Hiashi breathed. Tsunade pushed through the ANBU and grabbed Danzo’s wrist in an iron grip. He continued to struggle against the other ANBU, but couldn’t budge the woman who was now feeding chakra into his arm, examining what he had done. After a few moments, she stood and spat in disgust.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In light of the clear evidence of kekkai genkai theft, by show of hands, does the council vote to charge Shimura Danzo with the murder of Uchiha Shisui?” she asked the room at large. A narrow majority went up. Tsunade nodded. “A show of hands, does the council vote to charge Shimura Danzo with the theft of Uchiha Shisui’s eyes?” More hands went up this time, but both motions carried and she nodded, rolling the scroll.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“By show of hands, all in favor of amending the sentence to force the return of the stolen eyes to the Uchiha clan?” she added. All but a few loyal clan holdouts raised their hands. Tsunade nodded and turned to Hiashi, who had stepped somewhat to the side of the dais. “Please continue,” she said. “Do not destroy the eyes, but cut off all other chakra pathways.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hiashi nodded, turning back to the older man. “Shimura-san, I apologize, but this may hurt,” he said, although his tone was entirely unrepentant.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsunade’s eyes drifted over to the other end of the dais, where Itachi had remained motionless throughout the commotion. His eyes were locked on Danzo’s arm, wide and horrified. She summoned Cat with a sharp crook of her finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have him taken to my office,” she said in an undertone. The order was almost lost in the din of the crowd now discussing the outcome, turning restlessly in their seats as they hadn’t been dismissed yet. The ANBU nodded, and Tsunade glanced at Itachi again. “If Sakura isn’t there already, fetch her, as well as the rest of team seven. You know who needs to be there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cat nodded, then hurried to obey the command. Tsunade watched them shuffle the shocked young man out the side door before turning back to the slow process of permanently shutting down a man’s entire chakra system.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi stood in the middle of the Hokage's office, staring at the delicate carvings (was carving the right word? They were figures in wood, but shaped by jutsu) of the desk. The ANBU except Cat had left to fetch Team 7 on the Hokage's orders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uchiha-kun?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice was soft. Itachi finally looked up to find that Cat had removed his mask, holding it loosely at his side. Itachi took in the changes that had occurred in the intervening years, but for the most part Tenzo appeared unchanged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Tenzo-sempai," he nodded softly. The man cocked his head a little to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Team seven calls me Yamato," he said simply, neither in admonition nor request. Itachi nodded again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How have you been?" Itachi asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am here and alive," Yamato said. Itachi glanced at the door when they heard voices in the hall, but by the time he looked back, the mask was in place again. There was a beat, then a knock on the door. It swung open unbidden to reveal two of the ANBU escorting Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi's eyes locked on the latter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sasuke," he breathed out. Seeing Sasuke whole, albeit bandaged with a crutch, lifted a weight that he hadn't realised he had been carrying. He stumbled towards his brother, his feet not quite keeping up with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He saw the warring emotions on Sasuke's face. It hurt, not seeing the same instant relief, but before he could process it, his arms were already around his shoulders, crushing him close.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sasuke hissed in pain, but brought his free hand up to hold him back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard the others shuffle quietly around the pair into the office, and Naruto ask "Ne, Sakura, what's going on?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Itachi felt Sasuke shudder, and heard a sniff, and held him closer, and for a moment they were kids again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The approaching mass of chakra that was the Godaime Hokage, however, ended the moment. Nobody brought up the Uchiha’s red-rimmed eyes, or Sasuke’s slight flush at being caught out emotional.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, you’re all here,” Tsunade announced brusquely as she brushed past them on her way to her desk. “Ox, please take off his cuffs,” she ordered, and Itachi barely kept from startling as one of the bigger ANBU approached him suddenly. Itachi glanced down at his wrists, having completely forgotten the suppression cuffs. After they were removed, Itachi started rubbing the tingling sensation out of his hands as he turned towards the hokage’s desk. As soon as his attention shifted, so did everyone’s else in the room. She crooked her finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uchihas, front and center,” she demanded. They shuffled to comply, albeit Sasuke a little more slowly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sakura and Naruto waited apprehensively by the sidelines as Tsunade fixed the brothers with her sharp gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"In all the commotion of Danzo’s sentencing, we did not get to publicly read the Uchiha’s," she said evenly, her expression betraying nothing. Itachi almost held his breath, and he felt Sasuke shift nervously beside him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hokage-sama?" Itachi nodded, when she didn't continue. He knew it had to be good news, or they wouldn’t have removed the cuffs. He was almost certain that she was being dramatic on purpose to torture him. Her stoicism broke and a smirk bled through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You have both had all charges dismissed on mitigating circumstances," she said. Tension bled out of the room, and Naruto gave a delighted whoop as he darted forward to embrace Saske from the side. Sasuke grumbled, but didn't put nearly as much effort into shoving him off as he could have. Sakura almost slumped to the floor in relief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're not entirely off the hook,” she warned. “You may rejoin the ranks of Konoha's shinobi, with one caveat: you will be stripped of any previous rank and must take the regularly scheduled exams to proceed. Mission level restrictions will be strictly enforced," Tsunade went on. This got Sasuke’s attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What? They can't do that!" He protested, eyes narrowing at Tsunade as his hands clenched and unclenched agitatedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sasuke, you're still a Geinin anyway. You left after the Chuunin exams without making rank, and your only A-Rank mission was a misclassification in the first place," Tsunade pointed out. "This is more for Itachi, who was an ANBU Jounin with multiple S-Class missions on his record," she jut her chin at the man. Itachi, however, nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't be ungrateful, little brother. May we still train at full power, or will we have jutsu restricted?" He directed the last half of his statement to Tsunade, who shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No restrictions there,” she said. Itachi nodded, a small smile finally pulling at his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It will only be a few years before your rank matches your skills. Be patient until then," Itachi added again to his brother. Sasuke growled under his breath but crossed his arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Uchiha compound might need extensive work to become habitable," Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair, "but as Geinin, you're entitled to the subsidized Geinin housing until you make enough on missions to find somewhere else. You can get single units or live together, if you'd like."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd like to live with my brother, if that's okay?" Itachi said, glancing at Sasuke. Sasuke shrugged and glared at the ground, clearly still upset about the decision regarding his rank.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsunade waved him off. "Done," she said. Itachi gave a short bow. "Anything else?" She asked. When she received a negative head shake from Itachi, and a poorly-disguised pout from Sasuke, she grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, then. Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke... welcome home."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>✧・ﾟ:* 終 *:・ﾟ✧</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everyone, I'd like to take a second to impress upon you the magnitude of what you've just read:</p>
<p>This is my <i>first</i> fully-complete, multi-chapter fanfic in my 20 years of writing.</p>
<p>You read that right. Twenty years and I've never completed more than a one-shot. Until now.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who joined me on this journey! I hope you've enjoyed, and I hope you're looking forward to the next installment, Confessions, debuting sometime in January. Follow the Series, "Things Told In Secret," to be notified!</p>
<p>Love,<br/>Lily<br/>October 28, 2020</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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